Why Is Rajat Patidar Captain of RCB? From unsold at auction to IPL winning captain, Rajat Patidar’s journey with RCB is the story nobody saw coming and that is exactly why it is worth telling.
Why Is Virat Kohli Not the Captain of RCB?
Kohli led RCB for 9 years. Then he walked away from it.
“I was exposed to everything 24×7. It did get too much in the end.”
National team pressure, RCB pressure, batting expectations every single game. After stepping down from India’s captaincy (T20 in 2021, Tests in 2022), he made the same call at RCB: keep playing, stop leading. His mental wellbeing came first.
Read more: RCB vs PBKS – The 6 Players Who Will Decide the May 17 Clash in Dharamsala
Why Did RCB Choose Rajat Patidar?
Because the numbers don’t lie:
Season | Runs | Strike Rate | Note |
2022 | 333 | 152.75 | Century in playoffs |
2024 | 395 | 177.13 | 5 half-centuries |
2025 | Captain | — | First IPL title in RCB history |
With Kohli stepping aside and Faf du Plessis not retained, the choice was clear. Patidar had already led Madhya Pradesh to the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy final. The franchise backed him with 11 crore to prove it.
When Kohli handed him the captaincy plaque, Patidar froze: “I didn’t know how to react.” Then Kohli told him: “You deserve it, you earned it.” That was enough.
Why Is Jitesh Sharma Captain of RCB Instead of Rajat Patidar?
Simple answer: injuries.
When Patidar can bat but not field as happened in IPL 2025 against SRH — IPL rules require an active captain on the field. Jitesh Sharma, trusted wicketkeeper and senior player, steps in.
Patidar is still RCB’s captain. Jitesh is the vice. No change in hierarchy.
When Did Rajat Patidar Join RCB?
The real answer: twice.
- 2021 → Bought for 20 lakh. 4 matches, 71 runs. Released.
- 2022 → Unsold at auction. Family plans the wedding. Then the call comes — an injury creates a spot. He postpones the wedding and flies to Mumbai.
- 25 May 2022 → 112 not out off 54 balls against LSG in the Eliminator. First uncapped player to score a century in IPL playoffs. Everything changes.
From that moment, Patidar never left RCB again.
Where Is Rajat Patidar Now?
On the field, where he belongs. Patidar is active in IPL 2026 as RCB captain.
After the loss to LSG on 8 May 2026 where he scored 61 off 31 balls RCB sit third on the points table with 6 wins. The job isn’t done yet.
Will Rajat Patidar Play Against LSG?
The LSG match already happened (8 May 2026) and Patidar showed up. 61 off 31 balls, a 95 run stand with Padikkal in just 53 balls.
Patidar is fit and available. Barring a last minute surprise, he is RCB’s undisputed first choice captain and batter.
Patidar: "It's a New Season, We Are Not Playing as Defending Champions"
Four losses in IPL 2026. The same number as the entire 2025 title winning season.
Panic? Not from Patidar.
“We are not playing as defending champions this season. We have the opportunity to become champions once again. This is a new season. What we did was in 2025.”
He’s not defending a title he’s hunting another one. That’s the mindset of a leader, not a champion playing it safe.
The Way We Bowled... We Were Two Shots Behind — After RCB vs LSG
Mitchell Marsh had torn RCB apart with 111 off 56 balls. Anyone could have made excuses.
Patidar didn’t:
“The way we bowled, the way we controlled the game. We were two shots behind in the end.”
This is the captain RCB chose. Not the one who always wins the one who never stops fighting.
Who Is Rajat Patidar's Wife?
Her name is Gunjan Patidar, and she’s from Ratlam, Madhya Pradesh. Their story has a twist.
In May 2022, with Patidar out of the IPL auction, the family had already booked a hotel in Indore for the wedding. Everything was set. Then the phone rang RCB wanted him as a replacement.
He postponed the wedding. That decision changed his life.
The couple eventually married in a private ceremony no red carpet, no interviews. Gunjan stays well away from the spotlight and is rarely seen on social media. On 19 March 2026, they welcomed their first child, a baby boy. RCB fans were quick to joke: “The next captain has already arrived.”
